Grimm – “Star Crossed” Recap. Ancient Rituals and the Kool-Aid Fountain.

Season 5, Episode 9

Air Date: Friday, February 12, 2016 at 9/8c on NBC

Rating: ★★★★★

“Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.” – Grimm

Warning – SPOILERS AHEAD!

“Star-Crossed” examines an ancient Wesen ritual practiced long ago during periods of drought but when people are found staked on a cross in modern day Portland, it looks like someone is bringing tradition back. “Star-Crossed” is an engaging episode that sheds light on more Wesen folklore while delving deeper into the group known as “Black Claw” that is trying to bring about a Wesen uprising. Can Nick (David Guintoli), Hank (Russell Hornsby), and Sgt. Wu (Reggie Lee) find the clues to stop the final “ritualistic killing” before it’s too late?

Meisner needs to know where Nick and the gang stand on helping him fight Black Claw.

I’ve tried to fit the pieces of the puzzles together from the previous eight episodes, but I still don’t see a pattern yet. The sealed door in Nick and Adalind’s (Claire Coffee) hideout, Rosalee’s (Bree Turner) past coming back to haunt her, and Black Claw…what does it all mean?

Meisner (Damien Puckler) and the group he works for, “Hadrian’s Wall,” want to know where Nick and his friends, Hank, Wu, Adalind, Rosalee, and Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell), stand on the fight against Black Claw. It’s natural that everyone is hesitant to join Hadrian’s Wall. Rosalee and Monroe seem a bit more on edge than the rest but after what they went through with the “Wesenrien,” and now the latest catastrophe with the renowned Wesen Council, I’d be wary of any group no matter their cause.

Nick has an interesting conversation with both Hank and Sgt. Wu. Even the humans among the crowd are leery of Meisner.

Nick: “There’s something I have to ask both of you. Meisner wants to know if we’re willing to work with him and Hadrian’s Wall.”

Hank: “Work with him how?”

Nick: “My guess is to fight Black Claw.”

Wu: “In uniform or out of uniform?”

Nick: “Probably both.”

Hank: “I wish I knew more about him.”

Wu: “Me too.”

Eve – “So you don’t want to talk? Well, if you don’t want to talk, you won’t be needing your mouth.” Talk about scary interrogation tactics!

Yeah, me too! I want to know more about Meisner; I need to know more. Who is he? What is he? Is he human or Wesen? How did he get involved in the resistance? How did he become involved with Hadrian’s Wall? There are so many unknowns yet strangely, I trust Meisner. And no, it’s not because he’s smoking hot…well, maybe a little. I digress. In spite of how smoldering Meisner is, he’s helped Trubel (Jacqueline Toboni) become a better Grimm and performed some kind of voodoo on Eve (Bitsie Tulloch) making her Hadrian’s Wall’s best weapon against Black Claw. Did you see what she does to that Black Claw lackey? She gives new meaning to “Speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil.”

Throughout “Star-Crossed,” the story of an ancient Wesen ritual known as “Fuilcré,” described as “oxen” type bovine creatures plays out. Portland is experiencing a drought and this long thought dead tradition of sacrificing humans to bring an end to the drought isn’t so dead anymore. Transient men are found staked on “6x6x12” wooden beams, their eyes covered with broken mirrors, and their stomachs gouged out, with their blood forming a circle around the cross. There are also strange runes carved into the back of the crosses – Pagan, Celtic, and Arabic symbols all meaning “water.”

Rosalee surprises everyone when she reads the passage written in Middle-Irish. Way to go, Rosalee!

Of course, Nick and Hank seek the aid of the Grimm books, as well as Monroe and Rosalee’s expertise. But Monroe isn’t able to translate the language in the books as it’s all in “Middle Irish.” It’s Rosalee to the rescue and surprise, surprise; she’s able to decipher the meaning. She recites in Gaelic, “And the seven sacrifices will form the plow.” With all eyes on her, Rosalee explains, “My mother’s family is Irish. I spent a lot of summers there as a kid. There was no TV.” I’m pleasantly surprised but Monroe says it perfectly, “Wow, just when you think you know somebody.” I think Monroe is going to learn a lot more about his beloved wife before this season is over.

Thanks to her “home schooling,” someone else also has a wealth of knowledge about Wesen culture. Adalind helps Nick figure out the meaning of “the plow.”

Adalind: “Well, Fuilcré religion revolved around the stars; the plow is what they called Ursa Major in England and Ireland.”

Nick: “Ursa Major like the Big Dipper?”

Adalind: “Seven stars.”

Nick: “So the killings are going to form the Big Dipper to match the constellation?”

Did you see the look Nick gives Adalind after she explains about the Fuilcré? Obviously, he’s impressed and finds something else to like about her. She has a plethora of knowledge and with him being a Grimm, he needs someone like her in his life.

L-R: Sgt. Wu, Nick, and Hank find the Fuilcré killer just before he makes his final sacrifice.

Quote of the Day:

“I can be as good a brainwashed, zombie-headed zealot as anybody.” Monroe infiltrates the so-called Black Claw recruiting meeting, putting himself into harm’s way once again. If that isn’t a friend, I don’t know what is.

Overall

From its title, “Star-Crossed” could have been about two star-crossed lovers. I actually hoped it would recap the time Meisner met Adalind in Vienna. But this title is more literal in the sense that the stars in the sky hold a superstitious meaning about the Fuilcré. It’s always fascinating to learn about various Wesen and their traditions, even if they’re a bit macabre. With the Fuilcré killer caught just before his last victim is sacrificed, Nick and Hank know this is something for the books. All the sacrifices are supposed to bring forth rain…if you believe in that sort of thing. Queue the rain as it pitter-patters on Hank’s patrol car. Hmm…coincidence?

What did you think of “Star Crossed?” What are you superstitious about? I always cook a pot of rice in every new place I move into and eat a meal with rice the first night I live there. It’s an old Korean custom my mother told me about. Not sure what it’s supposed to do but I always do it. Leave me a comment below or tweet me at @judybopp. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Tune in to the Grimm, Fridays at 9/8c, only on NBC.

For more on the show, go to the official site.

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Follow Grimm on Twitter @NBCGrimm, as well as these cast members: @russellhornsby, @mistergiuntoli, @BitsieTulloch, @sasharoiz, @MrReggieLee, @ClaireCoffee @RealBreeTurner, and @DamienPuckler.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.